Josef mettler



May 22, 1928. 1,670,592

J. METTLER PREPAYMENT METER FOR GAS, WATER, ELECTRICITY, OR SIMILAR SUPPLY Filed April 6, 1922 l 1 l| 1 ,1 g I Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITEDv STATES JOSEF METTLER, 0F ZUG, SWITZERLAND,

ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM LANDIS & GYB

LTD., OF ZUG, SWITZERLAND.

PREPAYMEN T METER FOR GAS, WATER, ELECTRICITY, OR SIMILAR SUPPLY.

Application led April 6, 1922, Serial No. 550,141, and in Switzerland April 12, 1922.

The invention relates to a prepayment .meter of the type in which a spring is put into tension by actuating the prepayment mechanism after the insertion or' a coin, this spring controlling the supply. This invention has, however, several advantages in comparison with already known constructions of prepayment meters. First there is no need to provide a coin locking device, i. e. a device preventing the consumer 'l'rom inserting, at one operation a higher number of coins than is required. Furthermore the design is very simple as there is a spiral spring which, together with a rotating switch built up as a solid unit, produces a crank motion; and only one stop is required for this switch.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan, partly in section, of a prepayment meter constructed and arranged in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional lview of the same taken on the plane indicated by line II-II of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detail plan partly in section oi the lever 28 and associated elements.

Figure et is a detail plan of the spindle and associated elements.

` Figure 5 is a detail transverse sectional view ol the same on a plane intersecting the slot 9.

In the preferred form shown by the drawings, l is a base plate and 2 the cover of the case of a prepayment meter for electricity. 3 is a Ferraris disc and et the counting train of the meter mounted in the same case as the prepayment mechanism.

A traine 6 is fixed to the base plate l by means oi' the support 5, in which is journaled a spindle?. This spindle 7 carries a toothed Wheel 8 which is free to turn through a certain angle on the same, and for this purpose a slot 9 is cut in the hub of the toothed wheel 8 (Figs. LI and 5). In this slot slides the head of a screw l0, screwed into the spindle 7. The torsion spring l1, which is fastened at one end to the toothed wheel 8, and at the other to the spindle 7, tends to turn the toothed wheel 8, so that one end of the slot 9 presses against the screw l0.

f The spindle 7 is coupled with a coin receiving device 12, mounted on the cover 2. The toothed wheel` 8 is in mesh with the toothed wheel i3 which, in turn, is coupled by a flexible spindle ll to one ol the figure wheels lo of the counting train el. The circular rotating piece lo is provided with a toothed segment I7, and is rigidly attached to the spindle 18, this spindle carry-` ing a wing shaped switch i9 and having a transverse contact piece 20. 2l are contacts mounted on the fiat springv 22 which, in turn, are rigidly fixed. The circular rotating piece lo is provided with aprojecting piece 23, and a crank pin 2i on which the coil spring 25 acts.

The projecting piece 23 acts together with the stop lace 2o ot a spindle 27, which face can be clearly seen in Fig. 2. The spindle 27 carries a lever 28, the end oit which is bent downwards to term a lug 28. Vith this bent end the lever 28 presses against a horizontal spindle 29. The spindle 29 is carried by the bracket 30 which is attached to the l'rame G. The end 3l ot the spindle 29 is threaded and works in the threaded sleeve 33, which may be lixed in position by means of the lock-nut 32. The spindle 29 has a sloping face 34, the sides of which are inclined to the longitudinal axis ot' the spindle 29, and this spindle 29 is driven by a spindle 35 of the counting train 4 which spindle 35 in turn is .in conjunction with several spindles ot' the counting train et, by means of a. combination oit gears comprising a dilerential gear. The spindles 29 and 35 are coupled by means ot a` driver pin 3G ol" insulating materials, whereby' this pin 36, fixed to the spindle 35, projects through a slot in a cross piece 37 which, in turn, is rigidly attached to the spindle 31. A tor sion spring 38 wound round the spindle 2T tends to turn the spindle 2T with the lever 28, so that the lug 28 o't' the latter moves away 'from the spindle 29 and presses against a stop 39.

In the drawings switch mechanism .is shown in its on position, i. e. after the insertion ot' coins the spindle 7 has been turned in the direction o't` the arrow (Fig. 2) whereby the spring 25 has been turned, thus bringing the contact piece 2O 0i the switch 19 into contact with the xed contacts 2l. The lever 28 and its spindle 2T are locked by the spindle 29, and therefore the stop 23 is held in contact with the stop face 26.

lVhen the amount of electricity, correspending to the total `value of 'the coins insorted has been consumed, the spindle 29 is turned in the direction ot the arrow 40. As airesult the spindle 29 is displaced in the direction of the arrow 4l, due to its Working in the threaded sleeve lilhcn the spindle 29 is displaced, its sloping -ace 34 comes `into the reach of the lug 2S and this lugis immediately released when the longitudinal edge of the slope 3a slips under the edge ot the lug 28. rllhe spindle 27 now tree tov turn under the tension ol the spring 25, the stopping tace 26 thus reinas ing the stop cam vWhile the spindle 18 with the switch 19, is turned so that the contacts are opened and the supply ot eloctricity cut oil.

The spring 238 which is weaker than the spring 25 immediately returns the spindle 2?, so that the lug 28 comes into contact with the stop S39. By the turning ot the spindle i8 the toothed segment Y17 comes into mesh with the toothed Wheel S. UW- ing to the somewhat elastic n'iountingv olf the toothed wheel 8 on the spindlel 7, the former can, be slightly moved on the latter by the action oi the torsion spring l1 and in. the moment when the teeth come into mesh7 thus considerably reducing the action oli 'the shock.

Should new, after insertion ot a coin the spindle be once more turned :in the direction ot' the arrow, the spindle 18 carrying the circular rotating piece 16 and the switch 19 Will be turned7 through the Wheel gear 8 and 17,` until the crank pin 24-has passed its dead centre, and in this moment the `in the opposite direction to the arrow 40 by means of the flexible coupling ll and the dil'lerent gears connecting the spindle Vwith the various spindles'of` the counting train, so that the edge oi the slope 3st supports again the lug 28 andholds the spindle 27 in the position arresting the stop cam 23. lt now possible to insert further coins and by so` doing the spindle 29 is axially displaced in the opposite direction to the arrow7 4l. The number oit coins which may be inserted at one operation is greater than the consumer would be likely to insert at once (up to 100 pieces, for instance). @Wing to the 'lact that the side Walls of the sloping :lace 31k are inclined with regard to the longitudinal airis of the spindle 29, the lug 28 can slide surely on the circumference ot the spindle 29 iirom'the beginning of its being arrested. By displacing `the threaded sleeve 33 the moment oli releasing,r i. e. the moment When the prepayment meter is switched olf, i

specilication, partly because these counting mechanisms do not form part oi the present invention and partly because this arranges ment is the subject matter of my copending United States application Serial No. 551,398; From this last named application it is quite evident that the two right hand series oi discs which are designated at- 15, form one counting mechanism, namely that counting mechanism which indicates the number of coins still `to be usedl The three left hand series ci counting `discs represent a second counting mechanism which indicates the total number of coins inserted. That counting mechanism which is of importance here i and which indicates the numberoi the coins still to be used is driven by a differential mechanisn'r, as described in the speciiticatiozu,V this differential mechamsmbemg actuatedV under the influence ot the driving diseof' the counterand also under the influence of the coinmsertmg mechanism. It coins are injected then by means of the flexible shaft' l-l and the differential mechanism, the counting mechanism is `moved ahead, Where-r upon m said counting mechanism registration of the coins is effected. It, however,`

the value ci a coin is consumed then the driving disc of the counter elects, by meansy of the ditl'erential, a rearward movement of the counting mechanism to an extent correspending to the value of those coins which is still to be consumed or7 in other Words, the value of the prepaid coins is decreasedin accordance with the consumption of current and this decrease taires place in this counting mechanism until this counting mechanism, upon consumption of current equal lo the value of allot the coins7 arrives at zero, and whereupon the displacement of the shai't 29, eiiected simultaneously with thereturn movement of the counting 1nechamism, releases the `device and interrupts the circuit in which the automatic vending machine is placed. i

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature oi." my said inventionand the manner in which the same is to be` performed, what I claim is 1- l. .il device on prepayment meters for gas, water, electricity7 or similar :supply7h having an axially vmoving spindle7 provided with a sloping face, a tripping mechanism con trolling the supply, this spindle having a sloping face which latter, when the spindle is displaced, releases part of the tripping mechanism and thereby causes the whole tripping mechanism to be released.

2. A device on prepayment meters for gas, water, electricity, or similar supply, having an axially moving spindle with a sloping face, a tripping mechanism controlling the supply, and a lever having a lug which presses against the spindle and is released by the sloping face as the spindle is axially displaced, thus causing the tripping mechanism to be released.

S. A device on prepayment meters for gas, water, electricity, or similar supply, having a spindle provided with a sloping face, a sleeve in which said spindle is threaded, a tripping mechanism for controlling the supply and provided with a lever, the free end of which is provided with a lug, which presses against the spindle and is released by the sloping face as the spindle moves axially forward, said tripping mechanism being provided with a spring and the lever with a stop, said spring returning the tripping mechanism to its locking position when released, the said lever pressing against the stop.

1l. A device on prepayment meters for electricity having a cut-out switch and a spindle on which the same is mounted, a rotating piece having a stop, a tension spring active on said piece to form a crank motion, a locking device having a controlling axially moving spindle provided with a sloping face, a tripping mechanism having a lever arranged to coaCt with said axially movable spindle, and also including a spindle arranged to coact with the stop of the rotating piece to lock or release the latter.

In Witness whereof I atix my signature.

JOSEF METTLER. 

